Friendly Promises
by zizza24
Summary: *UPDATED* Based on popular demand, this is now becoming a series of one shots based on the friendship between Ziva and McGee. Individual summaries will be included in the story itself.
1. Take Me Home Tonight

**I do not own Ziva, McGee or any other part of NCIS.  
>However, I hope you read and review and enjoy! <strong>

* * *

><p>Ziva sat at her computer, the glow from the screen the only other light on her desk aside from the moonlight. She turned slightly in her seat, just enough to make a few notes in an open file on her desk. It was extremely quiet, with the exception of keys being pressed by both her and McGee. Tony had left with EJ hours ago and apparently there were still parts of DC Abby felt Simon needed to see. Jimmy had left with his phone to his ear and a smile on his face, most likely off to meet Breena. And Gibbs and Duckie had both left in their shared silence.<p>

There was a nice silence that settled in the air, which allowed her mind to wander as she stopped typing. She looked outside at the clear night sky and couldn't stop herself from thinking about Ray. Today would have been their ten month anniversary and although she still failed to understand the importance of anniversaries being celebrated before marriage, she was willing to take part in whatever he had planned.

"Ziva, are you okay?"

Her thoughts were broken by her friend's comforting voice. She smiled in his direction. "I am fine, McGee."

He smiled back at her. "You've never been a good liar."

"McGee, I promise everything is fine," she said but even she didn't believe her own words. "Okay, maybe things are not fine." She added, drawing out the final syllable.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head and looked down at her open case file but quickly closed it and looked back up. "Correct me if I am wrong, McGee, but there seems to be a lot of rule breaking in the office these days, yes?"

McGee nodded. "You are correct. Is this about Tony and EJ?"

"And Abby and Agent Cade."

His face soured. "Abby's walking Encyclopedia? I don't know what she sees in him."

Ziva laughed lightly. "Are you jealous of him, McGee?"

"Are you jealous of Agent Barrett?" he asked with a playful smile on his face.

"Jealous?" she asked with a laugh. "There is nothing for me to be jealous of."

McGee looked back down at his computer. "Because you have Ray?"

She shook her head. "Ray and I are no longer a couple but that does not matter. I am fine being alone."

"Ziva, can I ask you for a favor?" She nodded. "Stop telling people you're fine. You're allowed to be sad and upset. It's normal. Believe me, people will not think any less of you because you're upset."

Ziva smiled at him. "Thank you, McGee." Her words settled in the still air for a moment before McGee stood up. He grabbed his bag and stood in front of her desk. "What?"

"Let me take you home," he said. "It's late. We can finish our work in the morning."

"I should really finish this report," she said but McGee closed the yellow file folder. "Okay, I'm leaving," she said with a smile.

He smiled back at her as she gathered her jacket and bag. They walked silently to the elevator and waited for the doors to open. "So where was Abby taking Agent Cade?" Ziva asked with a smirk on her face and McGee glared at her, causing her to double over in laughter as they boarded the elevator down to the parking garage.

They stood outside of his car, leaned against the top. "Ziva, I don't care where Abby takes him!"

"McGee, when you raise your voice, it is obvious you are lying," she told him. "You should not let it bother you."

"It's just not fair," he began. "He just showed up and swept her off her feet." Then, a look of sudden realization covered his face. "Which is how you feel about EJ and now I completely understand your frustration with her."

They both pulled their door open and got into the car, the slamming of doors echoing through the empty garage. "She does not frustrate me," Ziva explained. "I just do not appreciate how she popped out of the sky."

McGee laughed. "The phrase is 'dropped out of the sky.' And can we make a promise to stop lying about how much the new agents bother us?"

Ziva smiled and nodded. "At least no lying to each other."

"Only to their faces," McGee added with a nod. They rode the short drive to Ziva's apartment in silence, McGee idling the car next to the sidewalk.

"Thank you, McGee. I will see you in the morning," Ziva said before pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. She pulled her bag from the floor and opened the door, stepping out into the crisp night air.

"Good night, Ziva," McGee replied as she smiled at him before closing the door and walking up the stairs to her apartment.


	2. Drink It Down

Ziva awoke suddenly, confused as to where exactly she was. She swallowed hard, her mouth dry, as she sat up and looked around, trying to place her whereabouts.

As her eyes adjusted to the low lights, she began to notice the collection of bottles on the small table, her coffee table, most with men's names on them. Jim, Jack, Jose. Obviously she had had a party and her liquor collection was now nearing its end. But what alarmed her most was the breathing she could hear from across the room.

She squinted towards where she believed the sound was coming from and was completely relieved when she recognized McGee's body draped across her oversized chair. Ziva smiled to herself as bits of the night pieced themselves together in her head. But along with the flood of memories came the flood of pain.

She slowly stood up, hoping to make it to her bathroom without making any noise. Of course, with the amount of alcohol she had consumed mixed with the lack of lighting, she failed.

"Ow!" she shouted as her elbow struck the kitchen counter. She rubbed it profusely, trying to ease the pain, when McGee sat up, holding his forehead. Ziva laughed lightly as he moaned in pain.

"What time is it?" McGee suddenly asked and Ziva looked to the clock on her stove, reading 5:17 in large red numbers.

Her eyes widened. "We have to be at work in less than an hour."

McGee stood up too fast and almost fell right back down, grabbing the chair quickly for support. "What the hell happened last night?"

Ziva held a finger up, thinking for a moment before answering. "I believe it all started when Tony and Abby planned a double date with EJ and Simon on lunch break."

"I think you're right. And I also think I now know how Tony feels when he comes to work hungover on Saturday mornings." McGee said as he held his forehead again.

Ziva left her spot in the kitchen and headed towards the bathroom, grabbing a large bottle of ibuprofen from the medicine cabinet. Then she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and handed them both to McGee, who was wearing a thankful smile. He popped three pills in his mouth, followed by a long drink of water.

"I should probably head home. Thanks for letting me crash here," McGee said as he gathered his coat and keys from the dining room table. "I'll see you at work."

She nodded at him with a tired smile on her face. "Be careful, McGee." He left her apartment and she sighed again, now taking three pills of her own followed by a long drink of water. She then returned to her bathroom to take a shower and get ready for work.

_She was standing in the kitchen, phone in hand, ready to order a pizza for dinner when someone knocked at the door. She set the phone down and proceeded to the door, opening it to find McGee standing there with a small brown paper bag resting on top of a pizza box. "You hungry?"_

Ziva stepped out of the shower, wiping the fog from the mirror. She couldn't help but laugh at how rough her face looked. It looked like she hadn't been to sleep in days, which wasn't far from the truth.

The truth was she could no longer sleep through the night. She would wake up in tears, in sweat or in fear. Her dreams were wearing her down and she had no one to turn to.

Except McGee.

She told him about the dreams the night after he drove her home. She had needed a friend and he was willing to listen so she took advantage. And now, it seemed as if he spent every night with her, usually at her place, to listen. He was filling a void Tony left open once he found EJ.

Granted, he was filling the void in a complete opposite way of Tony, but it worked for her. McGee was special to her, and they had a different friendship than the one she had with Tony. She trusted them both but in different ways. And she loved them both, but again, so differently.

_"McGee, you are the best guy friend a girl could ask for." Ziva said as she took another shot, the liquid no longer burning as it went down.___

_McGee laughed at her as he handed her a slice of lime. "I don't think I've had this much to drink since the night you stayed in Tel Aviv." She stared at him. "But we don't need to discuss that."___

_Ziva poured him another shot but he tried to decline it. "Just one more. I need to empty the bottle," she explained. He sighed and then took the shot, immediately reaching for a lime slice._

Ziva laughed at the memory and finished getting ready, feeling good about today. She grabbed her bag and coat and then headed out the door, ready to take on whatever would be put in her way.


End file.
